iOS 26 Public Beta release: Timeline, supported iPhones, and exciting new features

Apple iOS 26 update distribution is gathering momentum and the month of July will probably be a memorable one among iPhone users waiting for the new features. As the iOS 26 public beta is released within several days or weeks, people are getting excited seeing how the developer beta unveiled outstanding features and an adequate number of bugs. This is what you need to know about the iOS 26 public beta, its launch date and the benefits of the most significant features you are going to have.

iOS 26 Public Beta release date: When can you download?

Apple has even officially announced that it has planned to launch its iOS 26 public beta in July 2025. Although the company tends to publish public betas during the first week of June, this year has a bit later agenda, and the rollout is supposed to happen during the second half of July. This leaves Apple with a limited time frame to work through the problems seen in the developer beta and release a more solid experience to the general user population.

iOS 26 Public Beta: Supported iPhones

In case you plan to test the iOS 26 public beta, it is necessary to have iPhone 11 or later. As Apple ends support of the iPhone Xs and Xr lineup, it is a decent time to think about upgrading your phone in case you are still using either one of them. The complete list of iPhones that can get the public beta of the iOS 26:

• iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max

• iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max

• iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max

• iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max

• iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max

• iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max

What’s new in iOS 26 Public Beta?

Here are the latest features in the iOS 26 Public Beta.

Liquid glass interface improvements

Much was said about the Liquid Glass UI in the developer beta, even though it was also criticised as buggy and cluttered in appearance, particularly in the Control Centre. Apple has worked out these issues in the release of its public beta, and cleaned up the layout so that tabs no longer overlap with each other and the glass effect is providing a more readable cleaner finish.

New Alt 1 ringtone

iOS 26 introduces a fresh Alt 1 ringtone. You can set this new tone by heading to Settings > Sounds and Haptics, and selecting your preferred ringtone for incoming calls.

Transparent low power mode details

Apple is currently giving users a proper explanation about what the Low Power Mode is really doing. When it is activated, a note appears that background processes, speed of its work, the refresh rate of the screen can be slowed down, as well as iCloud synchronisation in order to conserve the battery charge.

Enhanced live captions and privacy

Live captioning has already been enhanced, and iOS 26 will inform a calling party when the service is in use on a call, enhancing both transparency and privacy. There is even a rumour about a new privacy feature coming to FaceTime, which would provide a user with greater control over his experience with a video call.

Should you install the iOS 26 Public Beta?

Although the developer beta provided us an idea of what to expect, it also granted us a preview of the dangers of being an early adopter, i.e., buggy applications and unstable functions. Public beta is more polished, however, it is also a test version, therefore, bugs may occur. The version to wait for is iOS 26 public beta that has the latest features but is smoother to work with.

The iOS 26 public beta is right around the corner, so there are a lot of new features and refinements that iPhone users can expect. With the redesign of the Liquid Glass interface, and better transparency and privacy settings, Apple is taking serious steps that are likely to improve the everyday experience. Be on the lookout in the middle of July when it will officially be released and be prepared to delve deep into what this new iOS 26 has to offer!

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.